The present invention relates generally to operative attachments for excavators and other equipment and, more specifically, to a shearing implement for use in conjunction with the bucket of a conventional excavator.
Excavators, including back hoes and other similar equipment, typically comprise a hydraulically operated boom with a bucket configured for digging holes or trenches. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional excavator 10 that has a jointed boom 11 whose components are movable by hydraulic cylinders 12, 13. A bucket 14 pivotably attached to the end of the boom 11 can be selectively rotated by bucket cylinder 15. Cooperative movement and rotation of the boom 11 and the bucket 14 are used by the operator for digging or moving earth or other materials. These components can be converted to a grasping tool by the addition of a pivotable thumb 32 attached to the boom 11. As shown in FIG. 1, the thumb 32 may have the same attachment/pivot point as the bucket 14. The thumb 32 may be selectively rotatable by a thumb cylinder 34. The bucket 14 and the thumb 34 may be used in cooperation to grasp a target object 5 by rotating one or both towards one another.